"From Gums To Arteries: The Role Of Periodontitis In Cardiovascular Disease"

"The study aims to assess literature examining the connection between cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), such as myocardial infarction (MI), hypertension (HTN), coronary atherosclerosis (CAS), infective endocarditis (IE), heart failure (HF), arterial fibrillation (AF), peripheral artery disease (PAD), and periodontitis. Periodontitis ranks as the sixth most prevalent human disease, and there appears to be a significant overlap in risk factors between these conditions, suggesting potential implications for their prevalence and treatment." Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are inflammatory conditions affecting the coronary arteries, characterized by the development of atherosclerosis that can lead to impairment and, in severe cases, mortality. CVDs represent the foremost cause of death globally. In recent decades, researchers have increasingly examined the impact of periodontal disease (PD) on CVD. PD serves as a risk factor capable of triggering the formation, progression, and destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques in arteries. Two mechanisms have been proposed to explain this association: direct invasion of periodontal pathogens into the bloodstream and indirect elevation of systemic inflammatory mediators. Evidence suggests that improving one condition may positively influence the other. This review synthesizes findings from epidemiological studies and research focusing on potential causal pathways, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between PD and CVD